The Queen's Advantage

by Jessie Mihalik

  Margie laughed, a light, joyful sound that turned heads, but her expression was shrewd. “For what it’s worth, you caught on faster than most. I was empress for a long time. My husband was not an easy man, but I loved him fiercely. I found that I was the most help to him if people underestimated me, thought me a pretty bauble who loved to talk.”

  Questions crowded my tongue. If she had loved her husband, how did Nikolas end up Valentin’s half-brother? And which brother did she support now? There was no polite way to ask, so I held my peace.

  “Being underestimated is an excellent strategy,” I agreed quietly. “And depending on the target, insultingly easy.”

  Margie’s eyes danced with hidden amusement. “Indeed.” She turned to Valentin. “I approve.”

  His expression didn’t change, but he tensed slightly before darting a glance at me. When he found me watching him, a smile touched the corners of his mouth. I got the impression that I’d somehow passed a test I didn’t know I was taking. He nodded to his mother.

  “Tomorrow you will lunch with me,” Margie told me. “Just the two of us. And your guard, of course.” She softened the order with a bright smile.

  “Mother—” Valentin started.

  Margie patted his arm. “You can have her back after lunch.” She nodded as if that settled it—and it did.

  It was difficult to stay mad at Valentin for not warning me about Margie when the lady herself was a familiar combination of charming and cunning. Now I knew where he got it.

  A low, melodious chime announced dinner. Valentin escorted us both into the banquet hall. Luka, Imogen, and the dowager’s guard trailed behind us. This room was just as impressive as the ballroom. A mixture of square and rectangular tables filled the space. Each was draped in a red or black tablecloth and laid with gleaming cutlery and sparkling stemware.

  Valentin lead us to the far end of the banquet hall. A long table sat on a raised dais with chairs lining the far side, facing the room. A pristine white tablecloth hid the underside of the table. Imogen peeked under it before nodding her approval.

  The table was laid with place settings for fifteen, with three obvious places of honor in the middle, denoted by ornate chairs. I hesitated to the call the center chair a throne, but it was far more elaborate than any of the chairs surrounding it.

  When Valentin caught my raised eyebrow, he grinned sheepishly. “I may not be required to wear my full regalia to dinner, but some traditions are harder to get rid of than others.”

  Margie sat on Valentin’s left and I sat on his right. My chair was surprisingly comfortable despite the ornamentation, with thick padding and armrests gently smoothed by many hands. When Imogen didn’t sit down beside me, I turned to look for her.

  She was far enough away that I linked to her. Are you not eating?

  We have a table back here, she said. Luka and I will take turns watching so the other can eat. She caught my indignant expression and cut me off before I could protest. It’s not a big deal. As I said, I’ve guarded before. This is normal. Better, actually, because Luka says they feed us the same food your fancy ass gets.

  I smiled. She was finally loosening up, at least a little. My fancy ass can keep watch for an hour. Make sure you eat.

  I will.

  I closed the link and turned back to face forward. People were slowly trickling in, filling the tables in a haphazard order. Either seats were assigned or no one wanted to sit next to anyone else.

  I checked our table, but there were no name cards. So when Oskar Krystopa pulled out the chair next to me, I had no warning. He scowled down at me before pulling out the next chair for his daughter.

  Oh good, this would be a pleasant dinner. I mentally sighed and painted on a wide smile that made Oskar’s scowl deepen.

  The rest of the advisors took their seats. My side of the table included Oskar, his daughter, Junior, his husband, Myra, and finally an empty seat. My research had not been able to turn up any significant others in Myra’s life and apparently she didn’t feel inclined to bring a date to dinner.

  I leaned forward and peeked at the other side of the table. Margie was on Valentin’s left. The rest of that side included Hannah, her husband, Joanna, Joanna’s date, Asmo, and finally a beautiful young woman who couldn’t be more than nineteen. Asmo leaned over and nuzzled her while she giggled. My opinion of him sank lower.

  With nothing else to do, I turned to Oskar. “We don’t have to be enemies,” I said quietly.

  He responded with frosty silence.

  Well, so much for diplomacy.

  When most of the people had taken their seats, Valentin stood and pulled me up next to him. The sea of faces was no more welcoming than it had been when I’d been announced earlier.

  A heavily muscled man stood at a table near the middle of the room. “Go home, Rogue bitch, and take your rebels with you! No one wants you here.”

  Valentin tensed beside me, but I placed a hand on his arm as excited murmurs swelled through the crowd. I waved Imogen back, then swept around the table. I stayed on the raised dais. I wanted everyone to have an excellent view of what was about to happen.

  I gestured at him to join me. “Come and make me, my lord, if you think you can.”

  Uncertainty flashed across his face. I was a tiny woman in an evening gown, goading him into a fight. He was smart enough to smell a trap, but his pride wouldn’t let him back down. Either that, or he was being paid to cause a scene.

  He swaggered to the dais and jumped up, playing to the crowd. People were making bets, and most of them were against me. Some were betting that Valentin would get involved before the fight could start. I glanced back at him. His jaw was locked tight, his expression murderous.

  I returned my attention to the man who’d insulted me. He was big and heavy, but he moved lightly, so he was augmented. I couldn’t let my own pride be my downfall. I needed to make this short and brutal.

  I crooked my finger at him and he rushed me. He threw a punch, fast, but I was faster. I grabbed his hand and twisted past him, using leverage on his arm joints and sheer strength to force him to the ground. I pinned him with my knee and pressed my plasma pistol to the back of his head.

  He froze.

  I leaned over him and quietly asked, “Did someone pay you to cause a scene?”

  “I’m not telling you shit,” he grumbled. I pulled his arm higher and he hissed out a breath but remained silent.

  “I will break this arm, then I will break your other arm, and then I will start on your legs. Is whoever you’re protecting worth that?” I jerked his arm up. Another centimeter and something would give, either the bone or the joint. “Who paid you?”

  “I don’t know,” he gasped. “A woman approached me, knew I needed money. Offered me ten thousand credits to cause a scene, plus another ten thousand if I got you to leave. The money came from an anonymous account. That’s all I know.”

  I linked Valentin. Someone paid him. Once I let him up, I need you to have someone you trust detain him and get the details.

  Done, Valentin responded.

  “Yield,” I demanded, loud enough for the crowd to hear.

  The man stayed stubbornly silent for a moment longer, then muttered, “I yield.”

  I let him up but didn’t holster my pistol. An Imperial Guard escorted him from the room. I linked to Valentin. How mad are you going to be about a plasma pulse hole in the ceiling? And this isn’t some sort of heirloom cutlery, is it?

  Go ahead. And no.

  I picked up a teaspoon from my place setting and sent it spinning into the air out over the crowd. I snapped the pistol up and fired a single shot. The teaspoon landed on a table, a neat hole punched dead center through the spoon’s bowl.

  A young woman at the table gasped, then held the spoon aloft. The room fell silent, and I looked around. “Would anyone else like to cause a scene?”

  No one moved.

  I resumed my place by Valentin, who turned his attention to the crowd. “I am d
elighted that Queen Rani has decided to grace us with her presence. She is my honored guest and a friend of the Kos Empire.” His smile sharpened and he glared at the man who had insulted me. “Slights against her will be treated as slights against me.” He turned to me, and I realized I was supposed to say something.

  I stared out at the elites of the Kos Empire and wondered what I could say, if anything, that would bring them to my side after my little demonstration. “Thank you to Emperor Kos for inviting me to visit your beautiful city,” I said. “I look forward to building on our existing treaty and strengthening our working relationship. That said, I will not tolerate any threats against myself, the Rogue Coalition, or Emperor Kos.”

  I didn’t get a standing ovation—hell, I didn’t even get a sitting ovation—but I hadn’t expected one. No one else challenged me, so I called it a win.

  “Enjoy your dinner,” Valentin said. He sat. I sank down next to him.

  Impressive shot, he linked.

  Thank you. I’ve earned a lot of free drinks with that trick. I’ll pay for the repair to your fancy ceiling.

  Don’t worry about it. It was worth it to watch you stun the entire court.

  I wondered if I could shock any of his advisors to death by leaning over and kissing him. He must’ve caught the direction of my thoughts, because his expression heated.

  The moment was broken when a discreet server placed a bowl of soup in front of Valentin. I masked my frustration behind a cool smile. Margie and I were served next, followed by the rest of the advisors and their guests.

  Valentin tried to keep me entertained, but he kept getting drawn in by Hannah and talking to that side of the table. With no one to talk to, my thoughts turned back to this afternoon’s attack.

  I endured five courses, each more extravagant than the last, culminating in a spun sugar confection that should’ve been a delight, but everything tasted like ash. Someone wanted Valentin dead and me either dead or gone. And I was no closer to figuring out who.

  I took a deep breath and reminded myself I’d been here for less than a day. Yes, that day had felt a hundred years long, but it was still just a day. I had time—at least a little.

  By the time Valentin escorted me back to my suite, I was tired and grouchy. I’d been solidly ignored by Oskar and his daughter for the entire dinner, and trying to converse around them had been an exercise in frustration. I managed to meet Junior’s husband, but only because I’d introduced myself after we’d finished eating.

  Steven had been as amusing as Junior was serious. I’d liked him immediately and had relaxed for the first time in hours. Then Oskar had made a snide comment about conversing with the enemy and Steven had clammed up on me.

  Afterwards, we had visited Werner Shipman, the man who had caused a scene at dinner. When he’d realized that he was in trouble with more than just me, he had decided to cooperate. Werner didn’t have any handy vision or memory augments, but he’d worked with a sketch artist to create what he said was an accurate depiction of the woman who had approached him.

  Neither Valentin nor Myra had recognized the woman, but I suggested that Valentin kick off an image matching process to compare the sketch to all known palace employees. If that didn’t find any hits, he could expand it to run against a public database of Koan citizens.

  Now we just had to wait.

  I rubbed my eyes before remembering my eyeliner. My fingers came away smudged black. I had the irrational urge to punch something, but I settled for a heartfelt sigh.

  We stopped in the foyer while Imogen swept the suite and Luka pretended to give us privacy. Valentin touched my arm. “Are you okay?”

  “It’s been a long day.”

  “Do you want me to go?”

  Now there was a dangerous question. I considered the wisdom of either choice for a few seconds. “No. Let’s talk, just the two of us.” I side-eyed Luka and lowered my voice. “I won’t promise you more than that, but I’d like your company,” I said candidly.

  “Of course. Is it okay if I go change into more comfortable clothes?”

  I smoothed the backs of my fingers down the lapel of his suit jacket. “I suppose. I’ll miss the suit, though,” I teased.

  He grinned at me. “Conveniently, you’ll get to see another one tomorrow. And the day after. And the day after that. I have an endless supply.”

  “In that case, go change and I’ll do the same.”

  Valentin and Luka left just before Imogen returned. “You’re good to go,” she said.

  “Thanks, and thanks for all of your help today. Take the rest of the night off. I’m not planning to go out again until in the morning. Valentin is coming over.” At her sly grin, I clarified, “To talk.”

  “Well, you might want to wash your face. Just in case. I’m going to change and then go see if I can find a gym. I’ll be gone an hour or two, but link me if something comes up. And don’t go out without me.”

  “I wouldn’t dream of it,” I lied. At her skeptical expression, I relented a little. “I’ll keep you apprised of my whereabouts.”

  She shook her head. “I deserve hazard pay just for keeping track of you,” she grumbled good-naturedly.

  “I’ll see what Ari can do,” I agreed with a smile.

  We both retreated to our respective rooms. I carefully undressed and hung the dress in the wardrobe. Tomorrow, I would see if the palace staff could launder it for me. If they couldn’t, hanging it would prevent the worst of the wrinkles.

  I scrubbed my face free of makeup and put on a loose pair of lounge pants and a tank top with a built-in bra. This was me at my comfiest. If Valentin didn’t run screaming from the room, it would be a good sign.

  I carried my plasma pistol into the living room and set it on an end table. That way, if someone tried to come through the balcony, I’d be able to welcome them properly.

  Imogen appeared, dressed in workout clothes. “I’m heading to the gym. I’ll link you on my way back so I don’t interrupt your talk.” She narrowed her eyes. “And don’t even think about leaving this suite without letting me know.”

  I huffed out an amused breath. “You’re persistent, I’ll give you that. Have a good workout.”

  “You, too,” she said with an unrepentant grin.

  She let herself out. For the first time today, I was alone in the suite with my thoughts, but all I could think about was Valentin’s upcoming visit. Adrenaline set my nerves fluttering. I needed to calm the fuck down or I’d jump him as soon as he cleared the door.

  And I was pretty sure he would let me.

  Not helping.

  I closed my eyes and willed myself to focus. Because despite what my body thought, I really did need to talk to Valentin.

  My nerves refused to settle. I laughed at myself and went to look for a drink.

  Chapter Nine

  The suite’s kitchenette came with a fully stocked bar. I was perusing the options when the doorbell rang. I firmly ordered the butterflies in my stomach to take a hike. Two deep breaths and I’d pulled myself back into a semblance of calm and controlled.

  That control wavered precariously when I checked the door display. Valentin was in a tight, black T-shirt that hugged the muscles in his chest and a loose pair of charcoal-gray lounge pants. He was barefoot.

  I closed my eyes against a wave of desire mingled with unexpected bashfulness. Just because I was confident and happy with my body didn’t mean I was blind. Even on my best day, I wasn’t in his league.

  I swung open the door before self-doubt could plague me. He was here because he wanted to be, and that was enough.

  A slow smile spread across his face. “Hi.”

  I couldn’t stop my answering smile. “Hi.” I stepped back. “Come in. Imogen went to find the gym. You have a gym somewhere, right?”

  His eyebrows rose. “Yeah. In fact, Luka was heading there. Think I should warn him?”

  We shared a conspiratorial grin.

  I led Valentin back to the kitchenette. “I w
as just contemplating a drink,” I said. “Can I get you something?”

  “I’ll have what you’re having.”

  “Adventurous, since I don’t know what I’m having yet.”

  “I trust you.” He said it quietly, but it had a ring of truth—and felt deeper than just our talk about drinks.

  I studied the bottles as if my survival depended on it. Valentin’s staff had outdone themselves. Every liquor was a high-end brand that was difficult to find and incredibly expensive. I pulled out a whisky that routinely went for more than fifty credits a serving.

  When I held it up, Valentin nodded his acceptance. I poured us each a couple fingers, neat, and handed him his glass. I lifted my own and breathed in the woodsy, smoky scent mixed with the sharp bite of alcohol.

  “To us,” Valentin toasted simply.

  “To us,” I echoed. I took a sip. Warm fire rolled down my throat and settled in my belly. I hummed my appreciation. This was a damn fine whisky.

  Valentin cleared his throat. “Shall we?” he asked with a wave toward the living room.

  I moved to the sofa and sat with my back against one of the armrests. Valentin sat in the middle, close enough that I could reach out and touch him, but far enough away to be respectable. I tucked my bare toes under his thigh, then smiled at him. “You can keep my feet warm.”

  He held his free hand to his heart. “It would be my honor,” he said solemnly, but his eyes danced with merriment.

  A playful Valentin was nearly irresistible. I could just crawl over there and—I cut off that line of thinking. I savored another sip of whisky while I decided on an opening gambit. I needed to know more about his advisors, but I was also desperately curious about his mother.

  Valentin made the decision for me. “Myra told me that you asked her for help.”

  “I did. It might be a mistake, but I need an ally who isn’t the emperor. My gut says she’s loyal, but even if she’s not, it will give me more information than I have now. Tell me what you think about the attack.”